COW TESTING ASSOCIATIONS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9575, 23 August 1909, Page 5

COW TESTING ASSOCIATIONS

IMPORTANT ADRESS BY THE DAIRY COMMISSIONER.

INAUGURATION OF FIRST NEWZEALAND SOCIETY. (Special Reporter). i An important meeting of dairy farmers was held at Carterton on | Saturday afternoon, convened in the interests of forming a "Cow-testing | Association," in the Wairarapa. Mr I Knutson, Chairman of Directors of the Dalefield Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., presided, and upwards of sixty farmers were present. The Chairman briefly introduced the Dairy Commissioner, Mr D. C liddie, who then addressed the meeting. He thanked them for the opportunity afforded to him of addressing them that day, and said that the Department had often been indebted to the Dalefield and other dairy companies for assistance, and co-operation in developing the dairy industry by experiment a\id otherwise. The scheme for co-operative testing societies first originated in Denmark, where the > Government Agricultural Department spends annually a large amount on the dairy industry, a considerable proportion of which goes to subsidising the milk-testing societies, these being aided to th e extent of from ona-quarter to half the'cost of working, according to conditions. The first two of these societies were started in 1895, with very few to-day there are 479 societias, numbering 10,737 members, owning 183,618 cows. Not many years ago the average cattle of Denmark were poor; today tfciat country owns one of the most useful breeds in existence, and milk production has been very much increased. The Agricultural Department appoints special men, whose duty is to watch over and control the proper working of the societies. In one district it was shown that 39,831 cows yielded per annum an average per cow of 7,3681bs milk and 28IIts butter-fat, the farmers there have rtcords of the yields of every individual cow. each season. Men are engaged to go from farm to farm and test each cow. Cows for the most part were milked three times daily, and it was not at all uncommon to see herds whos6 yearly average per cow was SOOlbs of butter fat. They thus placed the farmer in a position to make the dairy pay. These societies had also v been established in Scotland, where they are called mild record societies; whilst in that country ha had been repeatedly assured that had the farmers known the benefit derived from

them they would have started the long before. They were also very successful in Canada United States. This being so, it ought to be good enough for farmers to go in for in New Zealand. They were "anxious to make a start in the Wairarapa, which was only a short distance from the Departmental headquarters, rendering: the necessary supervision comparatively easy, and they would understand that a great deal woijld depend on the success of the first society. They would require a sufficient number of farmers to enrol themselves, and to agree to give the - necessary samples and data for a season; they should provide 500 or 600 cows, and undertake to weigh the milk and sample it for a minimum of two days in each month, and forward the samples and particulars regularly. He hoped that the Dairy Company would supply the necessary testing machine, and power, and the Department would

supply the man to do the work, who

would go on to their farms and show them how samples should be taken and weighed and every farmer would be supplied monthly with a statement of his individual cow's yield, and a summary of same at the end of the year. The expense to the farmer for

bottles, spring balance, preservative and packing ' box would average probably, about sixpence per cow for the first year only, and the time when they were once used to it would only be about one minute per cow per milking or even less. It seemed to him to be a splendid opportunity for the farmers to help themselves, and that in all probability they would be well repaid for any expense and trouble incurred. As regards the factory part of the business he assured them they were above the average of most countries, but the matter of cow-testing had been neglected. ; Mr Singleton, Dairy Instructor, said this was one of the most important matters brought up since the

inception of the dairy industry New Zealand. They would remember Mr Ruddick, a former Dairy Commissioner, as a very keen and practical man. Not very long after his return to Canada he visited Denmark, where he saw the cow-testing system at its height, and greatly impressed with the benefits derived therefrom he persuaded the Canadian Government to inaugurate a similar one, the first Canadian sot ciety 'being established in 1904. There had been an increase every year, and last season close on one hundred societies were in existence, and the records established showed avrane increases in the yield per cow of about 50 per cent. He felt therefore that no apology was neecitd for placing the matter before the farmers of Wairarapa. As the head of a large Departmental business ditl not merely look at the total result, but at the nett profit of each branch 3f the business, so the farmer should regard every cow in his herd as a. unit in his business, and examine it on its profitableness or otherwise. The majority of farmers think they know, their best cows, but it was beyond doubt that they often made great mistakes in this matter. He gave as an instance a farmer who had his own herd tested, first marking off what he considered his six best cows in order, and to his great surprise found that his best cow he had marked fifth, and the second he had not selected, one he had not selected at all. and two were away down in the list, which shows that there are many surprises in store for farmers, and it is their duty to get a class of cow that fat cheaply. Records were given of two cows tested at the Ottawa Experimental Farm. They were Grade Guernseys, aated eight and ten, respectively, and in appearance very similar cows, both calved on the same day, and were milked 277 and, 275 days, respectively, the cost of feed being practically the same. The ten-year-old cow yielded 344 Jibs butter-fat, and the eteht-year-old cow 16(jjfclbs the nett profit in the one instance being £ll. arid the other 18s, or in other words the nett piofit from the ten-year-old cow was twelve anda half times that from the eight year-ol j one. The opportunities for good cows were never SO' great as to-day. Competition in this business did not hurt anybody, but did good by stimulating to obtain better results all round. There no doubt at all that would pay them well to go in for the proposed scheme, and it would rest with them that day whether they would be in the van, or whether , the first New Zealand testing society was to be a South Island one.

After a few questions and re- , marks by Messrs R. u. Welch, W. Fisher and Jas. Callister, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Messrs Cuddie and Singleton on the motion of Mr Cnllister, seconded by Mr Fisher.

Mr Cuddie thanked those present for their attendance and attention, and urged them to enrol themselves before leaving the room.

Owners of 665 cows handed in their names as joining the scheme, which means that the first New Zealand cow-testing society will be established forthwith.